Language Requirements
The Institute has an English-French bilingual policy. Most of the classes are taught in English. Students can participate and submit written assignments in either English or French.
English
All students must have an excellent command of English, allowing them to comfortably satisfy the academic language requirements of a rigorous graduate programme: manage a large volume of challenging scholarly texts, produce frequent, extensive writings in compliance with graduate-level academic standards and in a variety of styles, and make constructive, candid and respectful contributions to discussions in and out of the classroom.
Applications can proceed to evaluation without an English proficiency certificate, but with a submitted confirmation of an upcoming testing appointment. Any resulting admission offers will remain conditional upon verification of a qualifying, official English proficiency certificate by 30 May 2024.
Failure to document the required English proficiency level by 30 May 2024 may cause us to rescind our offer of admission.
Recognised tests and scores
Tests must be within their validity period. If the test certificate does not indicate an expiry date, then the test must be no more than two years old at the time of submission. Tests that expired more than 12 months before the application deadline need to be taken again. Results must be submitted via a secure channel, available for online verification, or by post in a sealed envelope directly from the testing organisation. We expect all students to document a proficiency level that corresponds to the CEFR C1 or higher.
iBT TOEFL (Test of English as Foreign Language): either
A single iBT TOEFL test with a total score of at least 100 and the following minimum subscores:
- Reading section: minimum score 19
- Listening section: minimum score 20
- Speaking section: minimum score 20
- Writing section: minimum score 24
Or a "My Best Score" with a total score of 100 and the following minimum subscores:
- Reading section: minimum score 24
- Listening section: minimum score 24
- Speaking section: minimum score 23
- Writing section: minimum score 27
Please have your TOEFL scores forwarded to us by indicating our institutional ETS code: 8909
IELTS Academic (International English Language Testing System): either
A single IELTS test with an overall band 7.0 and the following minimum subscores:
- Reading section: minimum score 6.5
- Listening section: minimum score 6.5
- Speaking section: minimum score 6.5
- Writing section: minimum score 6.5
Or different valid IELTS tests with at least one overall band of 7.0 and the following minimum subscores from different tests:
- Reading section: minimum score 7.0
- Listening section: minimum score 7.0
- Speaking section: minimum score 7.0
- Writing section: minimum score 7.0
Cambridge English: C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency
Total score of at least 185 and each subscore at least 180
Exemptions
- Native English speakers, having used English as their primary language both at home and throughout their educational history
- Students who can document at least one year of full-time university level studies, using English exclusively as the medium of instruction, with a good academic achievement level.
A degree in English Literature or English as a Foreign Language, taught at a non-anglophone university with the local language as the primary medium of instruction, does not qualify
French
Knowledge of French is not an admission condition, a graduation condition, or required to enrol in our programmes. The Institute values diversity, and encourages applications from students who have no or only basic prior knowledge of French.
- Students with minimal (lower than B1) or no prior knowledge of French must take an intensive French course, lasting three weeks before the start of the first semester. They must register for this course at the time of confirming their enrolment. This intensive course will be followed by a weekly course during the first year.
- All other students who are neither native French speakers, nor holders of a B1 or higher French proficiency certificate, must register for a French placement test when confirming their enrolment. This test takes place during the first week of the academic year. Its results determine whether they need to take a weekly French course during their first year of study.
These intensive and weekly courses are organised by the Institute, free of charge. They are compulsory and credit-bearing.
The above conditions do not apply to students whose mother tongue is French; or who have a secondary or post-secondary diploma taught entirely in French; or who have spent a minimum of one academic year studying at university level, full-time, entirely in French; or who can produce a French language certificate equivalent to a DELF B1 level.
More info on French courses